The Distance Between
by RavenclawCookie
Summary: It's been one month since that infamous Saturday, and Allison Reynolds is head over heels in love with Andy. But it doesn't look like he feels the same. With her new comrade Bender already moving on from Claire, will Allison pluck up the courage to change things between her and Andy? And has Bender really left his feelings for Claire behind?
1. Miles Apart

**_Hey guys!_**

**_It's been a really long time since I've posted anything on here, but I decided to take a break in studying for exams and return to my writing roots. _**

**_I've received the most amazing feedback from people on here about my Breakfast Club fics, so I decided to start writing another one and see where it takes me._**

**_There will hopefully be more chapters to come, but it might be a little while, because of exams, like I said. _**

**_I do not own 'The Breakfast Club'; the characters are not my own but belong to John Hughes. I own nothing. _**

**_I hope you enjoy, guys!_**

**_I'm looking forward to writing more._**

**_~ RavenclawCookie_**

* * *

"You love that guy, don't you?"

Allison Reynolds was jerked suddenly from her reverie from the husky tones of John Bender as she sat, perched on one of the cafeteria seats.

It had been a month since that Saturday; that one Saturday that had turned Allison's entire world upside down. She'd only attended the seven-hour detention for something to do; never had she thought it would be the she would fall head over heels in love.

She and the school's resident criminal, Bender had formed something of an alliance since returning to school. Since she had no social group she belonged to, Bender had welcomed her into hers with open arms. It had been a little daunting at first, but she had soon grown accustomed to the haze of smoke and headache-inducing drone of thrash metal tapes.

Something in Bender had snapped when Claire had fiercely rejected the possibility of the five of them ever being friends outside of school, and Allison supposed he enjoyed seeing the look of shock on her face when he and Allison passed her in the hall, side-by-side.

Of course, there was nothing romantic between Allison and Bender. Not only did neither of them want it, but it just wasn't the way they worked. If anything, Allison saw Bender as a brother-figure. A surrogate for the sibling she never had. He knew she liked to be quiet; so he didn't force a conversation out of her when he noticed her looking sullen and withdrawn. And she didn't mind listening to his animated rants about his father, and watching his energetic impressions of Jimmy Hendrix on air guitar. They just let each other exist and seemed to help each other along the way. They saw each other as a way to breathe, and a way to hold on to the hopes that came with that fateful Saturday.

"What are you talking about?" Allison snapped, her heavily-pencilled eyes moving to rest on Bender's knowing expression with an unnerving stare.

"Andy,"

Allison's heart did a funny jolt at the sound of his name. She remembered the kiss. He hadn't spoken to her since, but she still had his jacket hung on the handle of her wardrobe at home. Her gaze flickered and fell, giving the game away instantly.

"I knew it," Bender smirked, leaning across the table, a few stray locks of chestnut hair falling just beside his eyes. "I always knew you'd fall for a guy in tights,"

Allison gave him a sharp look, but she couldn't help the small smirk that formed at the edges of her lips, pursed in the effort to stop it. "Well you love Claire!" She snapped, grinning triumphantly when the lights of laughter went out in Bender's eyes.

"That bitch? We kissed, so what," He shrugged nonchalantly, crossing his arms and tossing his head back as he came to rest against the back of the chair.

"Yeah..." Allison said, her dark eyes gleaming at him smugly from beneath her heavy bangs.

"_Yeah_... and that doesn't mean I'm in love with her," Bender said, rolling his eyes and tossing his head back, showing as little care as possible.

"Right, whatever you say," Allison giggled, returning to her sketch pad after many minutes of distraction, her hand dancing across the page as she applied the finishing touches to her masterpiece.

"Laugh all you want. It's the truth," Bender said stubbornly, narrowing his eyes at her across the table.

The bell sounded for lunch and the two of them uttered a fond farewell, before splitting off in different directions. Allison's feet dragged her to English class of her own accord, whilst Bender ambled towards the lockers. He had decided to skip again.

* * *

Allison was gazing dreamily at the boy sat a few seats across from her class, her stare cutting in a diagonal glare across the class. His golden hair was brushed neatly into its usual style, cropped just below his ears and swept back from his face.

Andrew Clark.

The teacher droned on, and Allison barely heard a word. If she didn't start snapping out of these little daydreaming sessions soon, her grades would start to plummet. But she couldn't help it... Every time she looked at him, her stomach gave a flutter and a pang, reminding her of the delicate kiss he had planted on her lips...

It had only been a month ago... mere weeks! And yet every time they passed one another or their eyes clashed in a hasty glance across the corridor, he quickly moved on, as if he couldn't let himself steel a glance in fear of the memory. The memory that Allison clung to like a small child clings to their mother when frightened.

The bell rang and Allison was jerked from her daydream, blanching violently at the shrill sound announcing that it was time for lunch. She watched distractedly as Andy packed up his things and swept from the room, his electric-blue jacket burning her eyes as she slowly began to do the same.

* * *

"You'll never guess what," Bender was grinning brightly as he caught up with Allison on the way to the cafeteria, slowing from his slight jog as he fell into step beside her.

"What?" Allison's reply was more like a grunt. She still couldn't get Andy off her mind.

"A girl in class came over and dropped me her number," Bender threw back his head triumphantly, his coffee-coloured bangs falling back from his eyes. He flashed the small scrap of paper in Allison's face. "Looks like I'm one lucky guy, huh?"

Allison took the crumpled note in her hands; her eyes were met by a neat row of numbers written in a particularly girly shade of purple, the line ending with a precisely-drawn heart, for effect.

Seems like this girl was a sucker for Bender, whoever she was.

"Her name's Emma," He snatched the note back from Allison and tucked it safely inside his jacket, patting the pocket where it was now kept.

The two strode towards the cafeteria and took up their usual seats beside the window. A few of Bender's heavy metal buddies ambled over, and Bender greeted them with an impassive nod. "

"Want a soda?" Bender offered, raising his cedar eyebrows at a rather forlorn Allison. She was prodding at her food idly, the plastic fork swirling the poorly-made pasta round the container.

It was clear that Andy had returned to her thoughts. Allison looked up at Bender's words and shook her head softly.

"Yeah you do, come on, I'll go get you one," Bender said, rising from his seat and bounding off to the machine before she could protest.

It seemed Bender was already moving on; running away from his feelings for Claire and into the arms of another girl, simply because he could.

But Allison couldn't pretend she wanted anyone else; she wanted Andy and Andy alone. He was the one she couldn't get off her mind; she remembered their kiss as clearly and perfectly as if it were only yesterday, and burying her feelings for him was futile.

But maybe it would get easier?

Allison hoped so. She didn't want to feel like this anymore; not when she knew their was no hope of she and Andy ever getting together for real.

Bender returned, setting her can of Cola down in front of her with a soft 'thunk!'. "Drink up!" He instructed, cracking open his own can and taking a large swig.

Allison sipped from her can feebly; she wished she was like Bender.

She wished she could forget.

* * *

**_I hope to write more soon guys, but for now, thanks for reading and leave a review if you can! I want to see what you think!_**

**_~ RavenclawCookie_**


	2. A Dull Hope

**_Hey guys!_**

**_I got this second part finished a lot quicker that I first thought I would, it seemed! _**

**_There will be more to come! When exactly, I'm not quite sure but there definitely will be! Stay tuned._**

**_As always I do not own anything from 'The Breakfast Club' it belongs to John Hughes. The only character that is my own is Emma Jameson. _**

**_Enjoy, guys! And as always, I love to read your feedback, so leave a review if you can - they are very much appreciated._**

**_~ RavenclawCookie_**

* * *

"I'll see you at lunch, okay?" Bender's voice was gentle as he spoke, a husky, gravelly tone to it as he withdrew from his cigarette. The bell had just rung for class. With no regard for school rules, Bender snubbed out his cigarette against the door of the locker beside his, all the while staring down into the bright emerald eyes of Emma Jameson.

He kicked away the butt with a swift scoot of his heavy boot, before his lips swooped down to meet hers in a firm kiss.

Her smoky eyes fluttered shut as his touch fused with hers; and the noisy corridor that surrounded them seemed to drain away into nothingness when his gloved fingers came against her cheek.

Breaking away, Emma was left reeling. She reached up to grasp a cinnamon lock of her wavy hair, twisting it and unravelling it frantically around her fingertip; Something she always did when she was nervous.

Bender gave her a final smile before sweeping off in the direction of class, sliding into step beside a nervous-looking Allison Reynolds, who was peering around the entrance to the corridor, waiting for him, head bowed so that her heavy bangs fell in front of her eyes.

Emma retrieved herself from almost falling back against the row of lockers; her heart was almost beating out of her chest. She had dropped him her phone number in Math class on a complete whim! Half the time he never even showed up to the lesson, and with her friends' relentless encouragement, she had simply strode over to his desk when the bell sounded, fluttered her lashes at him, dropped the note and skipped off. Now they were locking lips in the middle of school corridors, for everyone to see.

Hitching her satchel over her shoulder more securely, the young girl with a taste for Economics and the 'Psychedelic Furs' t-shirt bounded off in the direction of History class with the thinning array of students, completely enamoured with her brand new and delightfully delinquent boyfriend.

"How's your new indie chick?" Allison scoffed as she and Bender slipped into class, taking their seats among the early birds and the late risers.

"She's a catch," Bender winked, leaning across the small gap between tables, so that his chestnut hair spilled in front of his eyes.

"Oh I bet," Allison snorted from beneath the safety shield of her bangs, turning her head lazily to face the front of the class.

The lesson's minutes seemed to be forged from quicksand, and both Bender and Allison felt as though they were slowly sinking, clawing for freedom by the time the sound of the bell finally sounded, signalling their freedom.

"You two seem to be off to a fine start," Allison said, resuming their conversation as soon as the two comrades burst through the doors, fighting for freedom with the other students clamouring for the exit.

"Yeah, yeah, it's all wonderful now what are we gonna do about you and the wrestling champion?" Bender's question was so sudden Allison was almost forced to grind to a complete stop. Her heart leapt out of her chest; what the hell was he talking about?!

"You know what," Bender said, his face branded with that trademark smirk that would make any girl below college age blush feverishly.

"It's not happening - whatever you've got planned-" Allison began, but was promptly cut off by a grinning Bender.

"You mean what _you've_ got planned," He said, raising a pair of tawny eyebrows at her. His oak eyes were wide and brimming with that mischievous sparkle; he had an air about him that Allison simply didn't trust.

Her heavily-pencilled eyes narrowed sceptically, "Oh, what do you expect me to do, John?" She spat his real name with venomous contempt. "I can barely talk to my parents properly let alone... _him_,"

"Weeeell I'm just too damn preoccupied with my own love life to help you out, there! Sorry friend," Bender skipped forward, his bright red scarf swinging on his shoulders.

Allison snatched one of its frayed edges, yanking it towards her, catching up to him in an instant. "This is your stupid idea!" She half-yelled, her voice dying down on the final syllable when she realised with wide eyes that students they passed were staring at her. He raised voice tumbled and fell in a faltering crescendo.

"I just don't wanna see you unlucky in love, that's all!" Bender said, snatching his scarf back from the loosened hook of her palm and adjusting it in the correct, careless fashion around his neck.

"Well it's happening," Allison snarled, startled suddenly when Andrew appeared around the corner of the adjacent corridor.

His head was bowed and he wasn't looking where he was going. He and Allison almost collided.

"Oh... uh... sorry," Andrew said hurriedly, hardly realising who she was until his ice-blue eyes happened to raise from the floor they were so heavily fixed upon in a fleeting glance.

Allison's heart stalled like the engine of a car, before kicking into overdrive, thudding noisily in her chest.

"It's okay..." Was all Allison could manage to say. She became submerged suddenly in the stormy ocean of those brilliant blue eyes. Her reflection was mirrored so clearly in the burning rings of frozen flame; her own frightened expression staring back at her as she gazed into the face of the boy she loved.

Something stirred in his face as he looked at her, as if he was reliving that fateful Saturday; their kiss; their sombre conversation about her parents.

He knew something about her the others didn't; she had opened her soul to him. She had seen right through his try-hard facade and viewed the broken boy beyond the glass. They had a shared understanding.

The strange twist in his expression vanished. "Well... see you later," With that, Andy swept away. Allison felt winded.

Bender was wearing a hard glare that followed Andy all the way to the end of the corridor as the two stood in his wake. "God, what the fuck is that guy so afraid of?!" Bender cried. Thankfully, Andy was out of earshot, though Bender probably wouldn't have given a care either way.

The question circled Allison's mind as she felt Bender's surprisingly gentle hand on her shoulder, ushering her towards the cafeteria: what exactly was Andy so scared of?

Allison fell into seat her as the break between morning lessons commenced. Bender fell into Emma's waiting arms; she pulled him into quick kiss as he settled beside her.

Allison knew perfectly well what was so daunting to her: and that was merely plucking up the courage to ask Andy about their situation when he seemed to blatantly reluctant.

But what exactly would she say when she did, if ever, finally manage to gather enough emotional strength to confront Andy about their brief liaison? _"Hey, we kissed over a month ago... so, what happens next?_" It was ridiculous. And that's why Allison was so afraid. What had that kiss even truly meant? Was she the forbidden fruit of a different social group? Had he branded her with that kiss as a reminder that, though he felt some wave of affection for her, she could never be his?

Allison was too tired of wishing; too tired of waiting. But that look in his eye... that small glimmer of recognition; as though he was re-living every memory of their strange encounter... it had given Allison some sort of hope. Perhaps, he merely felt the same way as she did?

She simply wondered if he could prove himself to be the boy she wanted; one who wouldn't care about the strange glances thrown at them as they breezed down the school corridors, hand-in-hand. She wanted that more than anything; to be as free as Bender and Emma, who gladly ambled through the complex promoting their union, without a care in the world. She doubted Andy could stand his jock buddies gloating as he passed them, the hand of a grunge-loving, slasher movie enthusiast clasped tightly in his own.

She willed him to drop the fear of the social stigma. But she knew it was no use.

"Hey, you okay?" She heard Bender's voice shatter her thoughts like glass. She spiralled back to reality, suddenly aware that everybody in the canteen was rising from their seats and heading to glass. Bender was poised in mid-turn, stood before her, his arm wrapped around Emma's waist. She was wearing his scarlet scarf around her neck.

"Forget about that Andy guy, Allison! He's not worth shit," Emma's tone was sweet; she was evidently trying hard to establish some sort of friendship with Bender's band of associates. The metal misfits that crowded around Bender sharing cigarettes and passing music tapes with jet-black covers between them had so far given Emma Jameson a significant lack of hope. But she was optimistic that Allison would not give her the cold shoulder, too.

Allison willed the most grateful smile she could muster onto her lips, "Thanks," She muttered. Her tone was dull but an almost genuine note of appreciation rang in her voice. Emma took this and ran, offering her a wide grin in return.

Together, the three of them joined the dispersing crowds of students on the way to class, Allison slouching behind, her eyes drifting to Bender and Emma's entwined hands, wishing above all else, that she and Andy could do the same.


End file.
